Bring Me Back- Rogue One AU
by JediKnightCaraD
Summary: You already know me as a writer of 'what-is'. The ending of Rogue One left me feeling depressed, so I decided to rewrite the last five minutes...and beyond. So, This is my take on what might have happened if at least three members of Rogue One survived the mission to Scarif. Rated T for war carnage, thematic elements, and some mild language.
1. Narrow Escape

If any one planet could be considered hell, Mustafar was at the top of the list. With its fields of lava, endless heat, and whispered rumors about the presence of Darth Vader, it certainly seemed to fit the bill for a place of fire, brimstone, and suffering.

By contrast Scarif might have been in the running for heaven. It was known to most as a paradise with white-sand beaches, tropical climate, crystal clear oceans, and lush vegetation. Even after the planet had gone under Imperial control, it was a dream posting for every stormtrooper and officer in the Empire.

But for Bodhi Rook, former Imperial pilot who had defected after the influence of the late Galen Erso, Scarif was as close to hell as he ever hoped to get. He was surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of death and chaos and wanted nothing more than to do his job and get out of there...preferably not alone.

So many who had come on the unsanctioned mission were already dead. More were sure to die before the day was over. The ground troops were dropping like flies, and the pilots didn't seem to be faring much better. Bodhi knew men died in battle. It was inevitable. He had not known any of his comrades for more than a couple of days and so didn't have time to mourn or feel pain over their loss...but he hoped to the Force that at least a few of them might survive. The motley crew of five- six, counting a sarcastic droid -that had left Jedha had already developed something of an attachment to one another. Surviving life and death situations did that to people. Bodhi knew that whoever came out of this alive would be friends for life.

If anyone does, his more pessimistic self reminded. There were no guarantees in life.

Bodhi shook off these thoughts and ran through his mental checklist again even as blaster bolts sailed past the shipping crates and threw sparks everywhere. Lists were the only way he could keep his thoughts organized after what that monster had done to his mind. Steal a shuttle? Check. Jump to hyperspace? Check. Sneak past the planetary shield and land? Check. Guard the ship? Check. Plug in the extension cable? Check. Find the plans? Well, Jyn and Cassian were taking care of that. Contact the fleet? Check. Now they should be working on knocking out the planetary shield so the plans could be transmitted.

Bodhi paused and frowned. What came next? Once the fleet acknowledged the transmission, Rogue One's job was done. All Bodhi had left to do was wait for the others to come back and get out of there. Then, once in hyperspace, Bodhi could let someone else take over for a while and see who had the medical kit. The blaster wound on the back of his thigh was burning and making it hard to concentrate.

One thing at a time, he reminded himself. Find everyone else first. Then worry about your leg.

A soft whoosh and the sound of metal hitting metal shook Bodhi from his thoughts. He whipped his head around to see a handheld explosive rattle around on the deck, blinking red and beeping rapidly.

Bodhi's eyes widened in alarm and he dove for the device, snatching it up, hurling it back outside, and curling into a fetal position in one swift movement. A deafening explosion and a wave of heat soon followed.

It took quite a bit of time for the pilot to screw up his courage and make sure he was still alive. He didn't quite believe it until a triumphant voice crackled over the comm.

"Rogue One, are you there? Rogue One, the shield is down. Commence transmission!" It was Admiral Raddus.

Bodhi shuddered in relief and crawled back to the comm station. "Thi- uh...this is Rogue One. Acknowledged." He switched channels. "Cassian! Jyn! It's Bodhi, they've done it. The shield is down!"

He was greeted by static. Bodhi frowned and pressed the mic again. "Cassian Andor? Captain Andor, do you read?" No answer. He tried again. "Jyn Erso, do you read? Jyn!"

No response. Bodhi's heart sank. Not Jyn. Not Galen's daughter. The pilot's shoulders fell, and he bowed his head. "Ah, Galen. I'm sorry."

A full minute later, the comm crackled. "Bod-? Bodhi -ook, do...-ead?" It was a female voice.

Hope returned to Bodhi in a rush and he fumbled with the mic switch. "Jyn! Yes, I'm here! Have you gotten the plans?"

"-odhi, yo- -eak- up," The distortion was terrible and seemed to get worse by the moment. "Sor- can- -alk la-." And then the voice was gone.

"Jyn? Jyn?" Bodhi swore and kicked the console in frustration. Hopefully the Fleet would get the plans in time. The nervous pilot had the sneaking suspicion that there wasn't much of that left.

Either way he made up his mind that, assuming the Admiral received the transmission, he was going to wait exactly five minutes, and if there was no further word, he would take off and move as close to the tower as he could, circling until he found out who was still alive.

"Come on," grunted Jyn, gripping Cassian's shoulder as the two of them staggered out the lift doors. They almost looked drunk at first glance. Neither of them could walk very fast or very well owing to the multiple injuries they had received in finding and then transmitting the plans. Both of them had fallen multiple times, and Cassian had been shot in the side. There was no time to find out just how bad the injury was. At the moment their survival instincts overrode any other thoughts. They just wanted to get away.

It should have been mission accomplished. They'd found the plans and transmitted them, getting rid of Krennic in the process. The last member of the team that had been heard from was Bodhi, but further communication was impossible now. Neither Jyn nor Cassian had their comlinks anymore. Their plan at that point was to find the nearest intact vessel and commandeer it.

No sooner had the pair emerged than their plans of escape turned to slag. The muffled sizzle they'd heard in the lift turned out to be the primary laser of the Death Star, now hovering in the sky. A fireball that lit the sky and reflected in the ocean was rushing toward them. It seemed far enough away at the moment, but that meant little. It would reach them in minutes.

Jyn's shoulders sagged in defeat. So much for that idea! She glanced wearily at Cassian. Was there any point in going on now? They were both going to die, anyway.

Cassian said nothing but tugged her forward with a stubborn grunt. It was enough to keep Jyn going. The pair continued to stagger on toward the beach. Even now, they would keep walking.

Each step was another stab of pain up Jyn's twisted ankle, another searing bite from the cut on her arm. The pain didn't really matter anymore. It was all going to be over soon. Still, she found herself unaccountably worried about Cassian. He could hardly stand, and forever pressed a hand to the wound on his lower abdomen. Walking must have been torture for him. Grunts of pain were constant.

Finally they could go no further. They'd reached the edge of the ocean. At the moment both their legs gave out, and they sank into the sand. Jyn was careful as she released her grip on Cassian, lowering him slowly to the ground. For a moment they just sat together, staring at the rising sun of destruction still coming their way.

"Jyn," panted Cassian, staring at her with a new sense of pride and camaraderie. "Your father would have been proud of you."

Jyn's eyes stung and she managed a faint smile for the man. I'm going to see Papa again, she realized. And Mother. They're waiting for me. The fear left her. A sense of contentment flooded Jyn. She met Cassian's eyes and found something different there. They were softer than before, without the edge of coldness that had always been present since before they met.

Cassian, while still in pain, had a look of peace on his face. He took Jyn's hand and gave it a squeeze before pulling her into a warm embrace. They would meet their end together.

The spray of sand on their faces and the low whine of an engine interrupted the moment, and both were startled to see their stolen shuttle settling down mere meters away from them. Bodhi, barely visible through the hazy cockpit window, pounded on it and waved to them urgently. The door was open.

Adrenaline flooded Jyn's system anew as she glanced at Cassian, as if to ask if he was seeing what she was seeing.

Cassian's eyes filled with hope and he struggled back to his feet, still grunting with pain.

Quickly Jyn rose to help him. She half carried, half dragged him up the ramp and collapsed with him the minute they were aboard. "Bodhi!" She cried.

"We got the plans, Bodhi. We sent them," panted Cassian as he felt the ship lift off.

"Where's everyone else?"

"Gone."

Bodhi's enthusiasm immediately dropped. "Oh...uh-oh." That blast wave was getting awfully close.

Cassian heaved to his feet. "Bodhi, get us out of here!"

"I could use a little help," called Bodhi in his nervous tone.

"I'm coming." Cassian staggered forward to the cockpit with his arm still pressed to his side, eyes fixed on the ladder.

"What- Cassian!" Jyn hurried after him. Here they were about to escape and he was going to kill himself, moving around like that. "You're crazy!"

"I'd rather be crazy than dead," retorted Cassian. "Jyn, man the dorsal lasers!"

"But you're-"

"That's an order!"

Jyn groaned, but scurried to abide the Captain's wishes. He had a point. They had no idea what was waiting for them in orbit. Even if they outran the blast wave, every Imperial in the system would have them in their sights.

Bodhi pushed the ship to full throttle, sweating rivers as the blast wave chased them off the planet. The shuttle began to rattle, threatening to fly apart. Within minutes they burst out of the atmosphere...

...and straight into the path of a dogfight in progress, with the Death Star to their right, an Imperial Star Destroyer to their left, and Rebels and wreckage scattered between.

Cassian grimaced from something other than his wounds. The Fleet was in shreds. Half of them seemed to have disappeared altogether while the other half was being decimated. One fighter or another occasionally broke free and jumped to hyperspace, but the larger command ships didn't have much of a chance. TIEs swarmed like insects, firing green bolts at anything that moved. He mashed the mic pickup. "Attention, Alliance. This is Captain Andor of Rogue One. Do you have the plans?"

No answer. Bodhi cringed and opened his mouth to say something, but an irritable wave from Cassian silenced him.

The captain moistened his lips and tried again. "This is Rogue One, do you copy? Anybody? I'm not getting anything," he reported, yanking off the headphones.

Bodhi sighed. "That's what I was trying to tell you. External comms are out. I haven't been able to raise anyone."

Cassian swore softly and slapped his hand on the console. There was no way of knowing if the plans had been received or not. They'd done all they could. "Well...then we can't do any good here. Get clear and jump-" A muffled blast from behind and a jolt interrupted him. Cassian growled. "Great. Looks like the TIEs found us. Jyn, blast as many as you can! Bodhi, get us out of here right now."

Bodhi nodded, his hands flying frantically over the controls. "I know, I know, I'm working on it."

The next jolt cut their shields in half and send a fresh wave of agony through Cassian's ribs. He yelped through gritted teeth.

"Cassian," came Jyn's voice from behind. "We have to help them. They're being slaughtered-"

"There's nothing we can do for them now!" snarled Cassian. Pain and frustration had made his temper flare. "The battle is _over_. We won't do any good getting ourselves killed. Now, back on the lasers!"

His tone offered no room for argument, and Jyn turned back to the guns. She destroyed two...four...five of them in the wild flight out of the system, jostled about and holding on for dear life. At one point Bodhi skimmed the surface of the Death Star itself, dodging laser turrets and TIEs alike.

And then, at last, they were clear...with six more bogeys on their tail.

"Bodhi, come on, go, go, go, GO!" urged Cassian.

"Got it!" Bodhi set the final coordinates for Yavin and eased back on the throttle. Stars stretched into starlines before them as the shuttle leapt into hyperspace and left Scarif, the planet that had become hell, far, far behind.


	2. Return to Yavin

Jyn's head spun as she sat at the console, allegedly keeping an eye on things while Bodhi and Cassian bound each other's wounds. In reality her eyes were fixed on all that remained of Rogue One, pensively thinking of all that had happened in such a short time. _All of us should be dead,_ she thought.

Miraculously, their impossible mission had been accomplished. Miraculously, the three of them had escaped the blast wave. Miraculously, they had avoided the worst of the Imperials and jumped to hyperspace. And miraculously, the battered shuttle was still in one piece and they would revert to normal space in less than an hour. Some would have said the Force was with them.

But the cost had been high. Every member of their splinter team was dead, the Rebel fleet badly affected by the battle over Scarif. Just how badly things had gone would remain a mystery until they reached the base. And they still had no way of knowing if Raddus and his crew had passed on the plans or even if they had escaped themselves. The last sight of the aging cruiser was not encouraging; portions were aflame.

Jyn shook her head. It would do no good to wonder about the what-ifs. She had to focus on the moment or she would drive herself mad. As for whether the Force had been with them...Jyn fingered the engraved kyber crystal that still hung about her neck.

The Force was with them. At least they were alive. There was still hope.

"Jyn?" Bodhi's unannounced presence startled Jyn out of her thoughts. A glance at the pilot showed him in somewhat better spirits. At least his limp was a little better. "Hey. How's she doing?" He asked, nodding at the console.

"She's flying." Jyn released the crystal necklace with a frown. "Given what she's been through, that's good enough."

"I won't argue with that. Thanks for keeping an eye on her anyway," he added with a slight, forced smile.

"No problem. If you don't need my help, I'm going aft to see if I can squeeze in a quick nap." Jyn rose from her seat, and then paused before going anywhere. "How's the leg?"

Bodhi glanced down at the field dressing with a slight grimace. "Long-range blaster burn. It doesn't feel good, but...I, ah, I'll be fine. Thanks for asking. Oh," he added, turning in his seat to watch her before she left the cockpit. "Captain Andor's resting. He said he'll be all right."

Jyn nodded and managed a grateful smile. "Thank you...for coming back for us."

Bodhi turned away with a self-conscious shrug. "I only wish I could have gotten the rest..."

Jyn pressed her lips together. So Bodhi felt guilty, too. Chirrut, Baze, and all those volunteers were gone. Even K-2SO had sacrificed himself for the cause. It left one feeling hollow and tired. Jyn could think of no comfort to offer Bodhi but a brief touch to his shoulder before she ducked out of the cockpit. She had better check on Cassian. That gut wound was deep enough to be serious if not treated quickly.

Cassian lay in the lower hold on nothing more than a thin sleeping pad, propped up on a backpack, with his shirt open and a thick bacta bandage applied to his middle. The open medpac lay an arms' length away amid empty wrappers and two used injectors, as did a few meager ration bars and water bulbs. Cassian reached for water while holding the other arm to his ribs. Judging by the look on his face, the pain medicine hadn't kicked in yet.

Jyn forced a heavy sigh out of her nose. _He could ask for help._ Rather than let him suffer she knelt nearby and pressed the water into his hand.

For a split-second it looked as if Cassian would protest. Instead his features evened and he took the bulb without a word, unscrewing the cap and downing a healthy swig before handing it back to her. "Thank you."

Jyn pushed it back with a gentle shake of her head. "Keep it. I'll find my own." She copied Cassian's actions and drank thirstily before wiping a hand across her lips in relief. "How bad is it?" She indicated his side.

Cassian winced. "It sure as hell doesn't feel good," he confessed, "but I'll live. It didn't hit anything vital."

"Good." Jyn remarked with feeling. After facing death together, losing Cassian would be more than she could take at the moment. "Either way, you shouldn't be moving around. Rest."

"I'll rest when we're home." Cassian mumbled after leaning back with closed eyes. 'Home', of course, was the Rebel's base on Yavin IV. After a time he glanced at Jyn. "Have you taken care of yourself yet?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were limping."

Jyn frowned at him. _He has no place being concerned for me when he was gut-shot._ "That's because I was dragging you around." She tried forcing humor into her tone, but it didn't work.

Cassian lifted his brows. "Why didn't you leave me, then?"

Jyn's cheeks colored. "I didn't mean it like that! I-" she sighed and turned away, shaking her head. "Never mind. Bad joke."

The captain nodded, shifting his weight to the right to further ease his blaster wound. Silence engulfed the pair for a long while. Presently Cassian shifted his weight and seemed to settle into his sleeping pad. "Take care of that arm. That's an order."

Jyn glanced at her yet-untended wound, cringed, and reluctantly fished out a bandage and a bottle of antiseptic. She tended her arm in silence and didn't turn to Cassian until she was finished. "I didn't think...I _knew_ we weren't going to make it. I had a feeling that getting out of there was impossible. But it's strange, that didn't really bother me. I never thought I could feel guilty for surviving, but I do. Bodhi said the same. Do you?"

Cassian didn't answer. He was fast asleep. Everything must have just now caught up to him.

Jyn sighed, shaking her head, and packed the remainder of the medical supplies back into the kit. Something stopped her from going straight back into the cockpit.

Cassian was exhausted and his shirt was still open after bandaging. With the damage the shuttle had taken, they were lucky to have life support. Setting the environmental controls at a comfortable temperature might put too much stress on them. Things were going to get cold.

Jyn's conscience pricked her. Cassian had saved her life. The least she could do was make him a little more comfortable. She picked up a blanket and draped it over Cassian before heading back to the cockpit.

There was no hero's welcome waiting for Rogue One when they staggered out of their battered transport. There were no ecstatic greetings, no congratulations, no celebration at finding a weakness in the Empire's new planet-killer. Instead Bodhi, Cassian, and Jyn were greeted with a battalion of Fleet Troopers with blasters pointed directly at them.

"Freeze!" they ordered. "Hold it right there."

Bodhi held both hands out, palms up, in an effort to placate the troopers. "Hey, t-take it easy. We're...we're on your side, okay?"

"That's up to the General to decide," said an old, weary trooper with snow-white beard and mustache. "Hands behind your head. All of you."

"Okay, okay." Bodhi obeyed with a nervous gulp and glanced at a very unhappy Jyn and Cassian.

"What's going on here?" demanded Cassian. He tried standing up straighter. His wound made it difficult, and he still had to lean on Jyn. "'Where's Senator Mon Mothma?"

"That's not your concern, Captain. Now get those hands up."

Jyn glowered at them while still supporting Cassian. "He's wounded. He can hardly-"

The nearest Rebel fingered the trigger. "Quiet! My orders are to take you directly to General Dodonna for questioning. Where's the rest of your team?"

Cassian wavered on his feet. "Dead. Look, lieutenant, you have to listen. Our mission-"

The fleet trooper cut him off with a wave of his hand as he and two others moved forward with cuffs. "Your 'mission' wasn't even on record until half our fleet decided to join you. And from what I've heard, the whole thing was a suicide run. Captain Andor, Jyn Erso, Bodhi Rook, you are all under arrest for theft of confiscated property and disobeying direct orders. Now, give me those hands."

"Fine," sighed Cassian as he submitted to cuffing and then being led along to the ziggurat. "Yes. We stole a shuttle. Yes, we left on an unsanctioned mission that got most of our team killed. But if you have to charge someone, make it me. You can't expect to court-martial two people who don't even have ranks."

"You were all participants...but it's not up to me to decide." The young lieutenant leading them along winced and slowed his pace when Cassian stumbled. "You're not _all_ that's left."

Any good news was better than none. "How many?" Cassian wanted to know.

"About half the fleet. Red and Gold squadrons made it back with minimal losses, plus a few heavy transports...but Blue Squadron is gone. Gray Squadron didn't do much better."

"What about Admiral Raddus?" Bodhi wanted to know. "You...you got the plans, right?"

Wordlessly the lieutenant shook his head. "Raddus never made it back."

With that single motion the hearts of Jyn, Bodhi, and Cassian all sank even further. None of them wanted to say what they were thinking...that they had failed...that it had all been for nothing.

It wasn't until they were taken to General Dodonna that Jyn, Cassian, and Bodhi found out what had happened. The last word they'd received from Admiral Raddus was that the Death Star plans had been received and passed on to the Tantive VI. By all accounts, the small Corvette had made its escape. Just two hours before, they had received word from the Imperials that the Tantive IV had experienced a serious malfunction that had killed all aboard. Now they could only hope one of the jettisoned escape pods had held the plans...though such hope was faint.

As the status of the plans was still unknown, Jyn, Bodhi, and Cassian were confined to quarters until further notice. The leaders of the Rebellion couldn't decide what to do with them. In the meantime they were given nourishment and whatever medical attention they needed.

Jyn spent the next two days wondering if she really was to blame for the deaths of her comrades...if the plans would ever be recovered...and if she would ever be allowed to see Cassian and Bodhi. Her inquiries about their condition were given one-word answers. The only comfort she took from it all was that both were alive and expected to recover.

On their third morning since the return from Scarif, Jyn was taken to the medical bay with no word as to why. It couldn't be for treatment. Her sprained ankle had been healed for over 36 hours, and the cut on her arm was no more than a scar. All she knew was that her escort was grim and wouldn't answer any questions. Her main worry was for Cassian and Bodhi. Perhaps their injuries were more serious than she had been told...

"Why are you taking me to the medical bay," Jyn demanded for the third or fourth time as they stood before the closed door. "What's going on? Is it Bodhi? Captain Andor? Dammit, why won't you tell me?"

"Five minutes," informed the trooper as she nudged Jyn in the open door. Without another word she left, and the door slid shut behind her. Jyn was left alone and unhappy in the narrow entryway.

"Jyn..." called a familiar voice.

Quickly Jyn rounded the corner and found Cassian sitting up on the edge of his bed while Bodhi looked on. Without knowing why, she rushed to join them with relief flooding her. "Cassian! Bodhi!"

Bodhi, who for once looked almost naked without goggles, tools, or his usual paraphernalia, managed a smile for her. "Hey, Jyn. Good to see you."

Jyn couldn't smile back, but nodded for Bodhi and accepted his outstretched hands. "Good to see you, too. Are you all right? I kept asking, but no one would tell me anything."

Bodhi shook off her concern. "Ah...do-don't worry, I'm fine. They patched us up good."

Jyn nodded, noting his limp was gone and there was no sign of pain in his eyes. She turned to the quiet captain. "Cassian?"

Cassian couldn't give Jyn anything more than a shrug. "The burn was deeper than I thought and I have to have bacta treatments for another couple of days...but I'm all right. Feeling much better."

Jyn sighed in relief. "Good. How did you get them to let us see each other? I thought we were going to be separated until they figured out what to do with us."

Cassian's expression was weary as he rose carefully from the bed. "The way things are now, I don't think it matters much anymore. You deserve to know, and they wanted me to be the one to tell you."

Bodhi frowned and glanced at Jyn. "Uh, t-tell us what?"

Jyn felt her spirits sink yet again. Anger at even more bad news made her glare. "What happened?" she bit out.

Cassian closed his eyes and shook his head. He looked so tired...so beaten. "Alderaan. It's gone."

Jyn felt the life being sucked out of her soul and shook her head in denial. _Not another Jedha._

Bodhi's eyes bugged out and he looked from one friend to the other. "Gone? What...what do you mean, 'gone'?"

Cassian put a hand on each of their shoulders. He spoke slowly. "The Rebellion just got word an hour ago that the Empire used the Death Star to destroy Alderaan."

Bodhi started again, eyes darting right and left in alarm. "Wait- not just a city this time? The whole planet?"

Cassian nodded. "All of it."

Bodhi's lungs emptied and he sat down hard on Cassian's medical cot. Shock overtook him. There was nothing else to say.

Jyn's shoulders fell in defeat _. No. I won't believe it._ She stared blankly at a wall, shaking her head. "No..."

Cassian squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Roughly Jyn shook him off. "No! You're lying!"

"Why would I lie about this?" demanded Cassian. "You knew this could happen. It's what the Death Star was built for."

"Why, then? Why Alderaan?" Jyn demanded.

Bodhi nodded, still in a state of shock. "She's right. It...Alderaan's a major planetary system in the Core. They're pacifists. Why would the Empire want to destroy them?"

Cassian's shoulders fell. "Because they support the Rebellion."

"Destroy an entire planet because of a few political leaders? It's ludicrous!" declared Jyn.

"It's the _Empire_ , Jyn! If you don't know by now what they're capable of-" He ducked when Jyn whipped around with a warning glare. "Yes, it's madness. Yes, it's wrong. It's _beyond_ wrong, it's _evil_. But there's nothing we can do about it...at least not yet."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Jyn.

"We can still destroy the Death Star." Cassian hoped he sounded more encouraging than he felt. "It won't be easy, but-"

"How? Those plans were our only _chance!"_ Feeling helpless, Jyn kicked at a corner of the bed and plopped down on it. "They're right. We never should have gone to Scarif. Chirrut, Baze, K2...my father...they all died for nothing _._ " Jyn wasn't even aware of the tears in her eyes until one crawled down her cheek. Angrily she swiped it away.

Cassian sighed and sank next to her. "You can't think like that. Even if you're right and we can't destroy the Death Star, it _wasn't_ for nothing that we went to Scarif. Jyn, look at me." When she obliged, he met her eyes. "You're the one who said we keep taking chances until we succeed, or the chances are spent. And they're not spent yet. We still have a chance."

"What chance?" mumbled Jyn.

"We don't know what happened to the plans yet. We could assume the Empire got them back, or that they were destroyed. Or, someone could have taken them down to the planet and gotten help," Cassian said hopefully.

"There weren't any survivors," Jyn pointed out.

"That's what the Empire says," reminded Cassian. "And since when has the Empire ever been truthful about anything?"

A tiny glimmer of hope prodded at Jyn, trying to gain purchase in her heart. Still, she shook her head. "It's Tatooine. No one cares about the Rebellion there."

Cassian shrugged. "Maybe. But Jyn, what I'm trying to say is you can't give up. None of us can."

Bodhi nodded in agreement as he reached awkwardly for Jyn's hand. "Galen- your father wouldn't have wanted you to give up."

Being reminded of her father only brought more tears to Jyn's eyes. She tried to glare through them or keep arguing, but she couldn't. Her friends were right. She accepted Bodhi's hand, then gave a single nod. Grief again hardened into anger and determination. "I won't give up."

"Me, neither," agreed Bodhi.

"Neither will I." Cassian gave Jyn's shoulder a squeeze and Bodhi an encouraging nod.

A slight smile tugged at the corners of Jyn's mouth. Odd how she hadn't been able to stand Cassian up until a few days ago. Now they were all friends, bound by their experience. She'd never had real friends before.

As if to throw cold water on their sudden warmth, the fleet trooper chose that moment to pop back into the Infirmary. "Time's up." He and another guard showed up to escort Bodhi and Jyn back to their quarters.

Jyn glared at the bearer of bad news and threw Cassian a questioning glance. There was defiance in her eyes.

Cassian gave her a firm shake of his head. Fighting wouldn't do them any good now. "Take care of yourselves."

Reluctantly Jyn rose and followed the fleet trooper, followed by Bodhi. "You, too." The young woman kept her eyes fixed on the captain as the infirmary door shut between them.


	3. New Hope

"Papa...Papa, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry...Papa... _Papa!_ " Jyn woke with a start and looked about wildly. She half-expected the phantoms of her dream to stand before her and keep reminding her of her failure...to the Rebellion and to the memory of her family. But her room was empty. Faint daylight streamed in through the narrow slit of a window, a warm yellow glow. Yavin had risen long ago.

Jyn shuddered in relief even as fresh tears brimmed in her eyes. The nightmares had started her first evening and had yet to let up. Always they were of her parents, though sometimes the faces of the Rogue One strike team joined in to haunt her. Always Lyra and Galen had harsh words for their daughter. Everyone spoke of her failure. And then, one by one, they all died before her eyes as she stood and did nothing but scream.

 _Just a dream,_ Jyn reminded herself, running an arm across her damp eyes. A glance at her small table showed a tray of her usual prepared rations. She frowned. Why hadn't anyone awakened her so she could eat, or at least be spared the nightmare?

Before the young woman had a chance to dress, the door alarm buzzed. Jyn groaned. The Rebellion was decent to nonviolent prisoners, though she did have a time limit in which to eat. She hurriedly shoved a forkful of food into her mouth and started chewing. The door buzzed again.

"Jyn! Wake up," urged a familiar, if muffled voice. "You need to come out here."

"Cothon!?" she exclaimed around a mouthful of beige mush. Either they'd turned Cassian loose, or he was here with her escort. Jyn gulped down the cup of water to clear her mouth so she could speak clearly. "I'm awake. What is it?"

"You're dressed?"

Jyn glanced down and groaned. While unworried about decency, she probably wouldn't make a very good impression on the guard if she came to the door in her skivvies. "Just a second!" She snatched her trousers off the chair and hopped into them, then yanked on a shirt. "What's going on?"

Accordingly the door slid open and both Cassian and a fleet trooper escort stepped in. Cassian was out of breath and very excited about something. "Jyn...the plans...they found the plans!"

Jyn flinched in surprise. "What? What are you talking about?"

Cassian lifted his brows. "The Death Star plans! They're safe...they were in a droid! We just got word, they're on their way right now. General Dodonna wants us to meet them. Hurry up!"

Jyn's head was spinning at the overload of information. "What? Who? Cassian, slow down. _Who_ has the plans? How did they get them?"

Cassian paused to catch his breath before continuing. "I don't have all the details yet...and it's a long story. Hurry up and get dressed, and I'll tell you on the way."

Jyn blinked and looked around helplessly. "I..." She still didn't understand why Cassian was at her door and wanted her to hurry up. The one fact that stood out was that the plans had been found, and they were safe. "Give a minute, all right?" Hurriedly the woman hopped into her boots and splashed water on her face. She'd hardly buckled her belt and shrugged on her vest before she was prodded out the door. When she raised a meager protest about breakfast, someone shoved a ration bar into her hand. The woman frowned and put the bar in a pocket.

Cassian glanced at her. "I'd eat that if I were you. I don't know when you're going to get another chance."

"Fine." Jyn unwrapped the bar and took a bite, chewing quickly. "Now, will you please tell me what's going on?"

"All right. When the Imperials captured the Tantive IV, Princess Leia hid the plans in a droid and sent him and another droid down to Tatooine. Then she was captured by the Imperials. Someone on Tatooine found the droids and saw a message that the Princess had left. So he hired a pilot to go to Alderaan, but it was destroyed and they ended up at the Death Star. While they were there they managed to rescue the Princess and-"

Jyn held up a palm. "Wait. Princess _Leia?_ Senator Organa's daughter? She's alive?"

Cassian nodded. "Yes! The Imperials had intended to kill her, but this young man and his pilot friend rescued her. Now they're all on their way here with the plans."

Jyn's eyes widened as she processed this information. "They rescued the Princess from the Death Star? How? The security there is almost impossible to breach."

Cassian shrugged. "As I said, I don't know all the details yet, but they must have found some way in." He nodded with new determination. "The important thing is the plans are secure. Now we have a chance."

Jyn wanted to smile, to celebrate, to breathe a sigh of relief that the deaths of Rogue One had not been in vain...but she couldn't. Not yet. "Are you sure?"

"Sorry?" Cassian blinked.

"How can you be sure that these people are telling the truth...that they really do have the Princess and the plans?" Jyn knew her inner skeptic was showing, but it took time for her to trust anyone. She trusted Cassian. She didn't trust a person she'd never met.

"Jyn..." Cassian turned to meet Jyn's hazel eyes. "The Princess herself made the call. Her security code checks out, and her voice has been confirmed twice. It's all right."

Only then did Jyn allow a small sigh to escape her lips and some of the tension on her face to ease. "Well...then I hope they find the weakness my father put in quickly."

Cassian offered a slight smile. "They will. Don't worry; we're going to destroy that beast." Their quick pace resumed. "Come on. We have to meet the General."

Jyn made a face as she gulped down the rest of her ration bar. "What does he want with us, anyway? Have the charges been dropped?"

The captain shook his head in amazement. "He wants us to meet the Princess when her transport lands."

Jyn froze. "When?"

Cassian suddenly looked nervous. "In about fifteen minutes."

Jyn caught a glimpse of her reflection in a nearby panel, groaned loudly, and tried finger-combing her hair straight. Gratefully she accepted a comb from Cassian. "And you just _now_ decide to tell me?"

"You were asleep."

"That's no excuse."

Jyn and Cassian were soon joined by Bodhi and half a dozen Fleet Troopers as the group to meet the Princess. At first none of them paid much attention to the battered YT-1300 coming in for a landing just a few meters away...until the loading ramp touched down and a very motley crew emerged.

The first one Jyn noticed was the Wookiee. She'd heard of the massive creatures before, but the only Wookiees she'd ever seen had been half-starved and half-grown, working away in one of the Empire's many labor camps. This one was neither, and quite intimidating.

At the Wookiee's side was a human of average height who looked about thirty years old and walked with a swagger. Going by the blood stripes on his pants he must have been Corellian. His clothing was otherwise utilitarian, but he wore confidence like a second skin. Jyn made a note to keep an eye on him. He didn't look like someone that could be trusted.

Behind the mismatched pair walked a very young man- no more than a boy, really -who stared at everything in gape-mouthed, wide-eyed awe. Dressed like a farmer in sand colored clothing, this must have been the one to find the droids. He couldn't have been more than eighteen, though the shaggy mop of blond and the wide blue eyes made him look even younger. He had the short, slim build of a teenager. Trailing behind him were the droids in question; a barreled blue R2 unit and a tall golden protocol droid, both of which were extremely dirty. It was anyone's guess which one carried the plans.

At the head of the group was a tiny figure in white whose posture belied her stature and young age. She walked with authority and confidence, though her quick pace and strained expression told of urgency...perhaps impatience. This must have been the Princess Leia Organa.

Jyn blinked with surprise in seeing this ragtag crew approach and felt obliged to stand at attention with Cassian and the others. A glance at Bodhi told her that the former Imperial pilot had heard of the Princess and stood in awe of her. Only a nudge from Cassian made his gaping mouth snap shut.

General Dodonna was the first to greet the newcomers. "Princess Leia, I cannot tell you my relief at seeing you alive and well. Let me express my deepest condolences on the loss of your father...of your world. It was terrible. Just terrible. I promise you that their deaths will not be in vain."

Princess Leia's expression flickered to one of pain, but it lasted only a moment. She nodded gravely and accepted the General's outstretched hands. "I surely hope so, General."

Dodonna looked over the group with unmasked surprise. "And are these your rescuers, Princess?"

Leia nodded and stepped aside, waving the young boy forward with a welcoming smile. "Yes. General Dodonna, I'd like you to meet Luke Skywalker. He was the one to discover these two droids and work on returning them to the Alliance. Luke, this is General Dodonna."

Skywalker blushed as the General shook his hand in greeting, and stuttered when asked about his rescue plan. The boy was quick to admit most of it had been improvised and shared full credit with Han Solo and Chewbacca, the mismatched pair who stood behind, by then somewhat impatient. Solo was about to break in and say something when Leia sternly interrupted him and suggest all of them head inside, as there was little time to waste.

As Solo, Skywalker, Chewbacca, and the two droids all climbed aboard a transport under armed guard, Leia hung back for a moment to regard what was left of Rogue One. "General, are these the members of that infiltration team you spoke of?"

Dodonna nodded. "They are, Your Highness. Allow me to introduce Captain Cassian Andor, Jyn Erso, and Bodhi Rook. These and the other members of their team were instrumental in finding and transmitting the Death Star plans. Rogue One, Princess Leia Organa."

Jyn felt her cheeks burning. Only hours before they'd been under arrest. She was caught by surprise when Cassian and Bodhi gave semiformal bows. At the last minute Jyn bowed, too.

Leia met each of their eyes in turn and took their hands in greeting. "Captain...Miss Erso...Mr. Rook...I cannot say what an honor it is to meet you. Without your courage in finding and securing these plans, there would have been no hope for us. On behalf of the Rebel Alliance, thank you all."

Cassian, Jyn, and Bodhi all squirmed uncomfortably. None of them felt deserving of either honor or praise, but it wouldn't feel right to tell the Princess she was mistaken. Cassian simply stood at attention. Bodhi almost said 'you're welcome', but stopped himself at the last minute. As for Jyn, she felt her throat catch. This was her father's idea, not hers.

Before anyone had a chance to say anything further, Leia threw a furtive glance over her shoulder before turning back to Jyn, Cassian, and Bodhi. "I'm sorry to make this so brief, but there is much to be done. Again, thank you all. I'll speak with each of you as soon as I have a chance. In the meantime, may the Force be with you." And so with a final smile, Leia met their eyes again before turning away and following her escort to the transport. In moments she and her entourage were gone.

Bodhi, though his mouth was still hanging open, was the first to regain his gift of speech. "Wow. Uh, that is...excuse me sir," he sputtered, snapping back to attention.

General Dodonna nodded. "At ease. I understand, Rook. You're excused. All of you, again, thank you for being here. I appreciate your cooperation as much as the Princess does. That's all for now. Dismissed."

All three of them blinked, disoriented. Cassian was the first to step forward. "Excuse me, General, but isn't there going to be an assault on the Death Star?"

Dodonna pressed his mustached lips together. "That remains to be seen. It all depends upon what we find upon examination of the plans."

"Well, sir, if there is an attack on the Death Star, I request permission to join a fighter squadron and help." Cassian stood at attention once more.

"Request denied, Captain Andor. You are on flight restriction until further notice." Dodonna began heading back toward the ziggurat. "Now, if you'll excuse me..."

"But sir! No matter what sort of weakness Galen Erso engineered, you're going to need all the help you can get. Afterward you can administer whatever disciplinary actions you want so long as I can fly." Cassian moistened his lips. He wasn't used to begging, but if that was what it took to get his revenge on the Imperials, so be it.

"Negative." Dodonna's shoulders fell and he shook his head. "It's not the charges against you and your teammates, Andor. You're still recovering from your injuries. Medical has not cleared you for active duty. Until they do, you're grounded. I'm sorry."

Cassian pushed an angry breath through his nose as he watched the General leave. Nothing more was said until Bodhi tentatively spoke up.

"Maybe he's right, Cassian. That burn was awfully deep, and you're not-"

"I'm fine and he knows it," spat Cassian, crossing his arms. Slowly he shook his head. "I'm going to talk to the medic." And he stalked off.

"Wait a minute. Why can't Cassian fly?" Jyn wanted to know. "He said it wasn't serious."

Bodhi cringed. "It was and I knew it was the minute I saw the burn. It was deep."

Jyn froze, brows knit. "How deep, exactly?"

The pilot frowned. "I'm no medic, but it went past his stomach wall and into his intestine. That's why he was in the medical bay for so long. He could have died."

Blood drained from Jyn's face. She was simultaneously angry and worried. "Should he be walking?"

Bodhi shrugged. "Technically, no. He's just too stubborn."

Jyn shook her head and growled, turning toward the ancient temple. "Excuse me." And she marched off at a stiff pace, intending to talk- or knock -some sense into Captain Andor.

"The Death Star has cleared the planet," announced a filtered, monotone voice over the loudspeaker. "The Death Star has cleared the planet."

Jyn felt her stomach clench. Again the feeling of defeat threatened to overtake her. Again she sensed an impending doom and turned to Cassian. After all that, were they going to die anyway?

Cassian, whose vehement protests had earned him another day of bed rest in the medical bay, lay on his side with eyes narrowed and fist clenched. "Come on, Skywalker," he whispered. "Come on. Just a little bit longer." He hated being laid up, and listening to a battle he'd wanted to participate in was torture. A glance at Jyn made his scowl fade. He reached for her hand.

Gratefully Jyn took it and gave him a nod. _If he's not giving up, then neither am I._ With her free hand she clutched the kyber crystal that hung around her neck and closed her eyes, pleading with the Force.

She could have watched the battle from the situation room. Princess Leia had given her full leave to do so. But Jyn couldn't do anything there but stand and pace with everyone else, listening to the fighter pilots' reports...and hearing them die. After all they'd been through Jyn wanted to be with her friends. Bodhi, without the skills to fly a one-person fighter and without the time to train, had remained in the hangar to help the fuel and repair crews.

In the medical bay, every other patient lay in the same suspense...waiting for either the cry of victory or the blast of heat that would vaporize them all. Some muttered prayers to whatever deity they followed, while others just sat and chewed nails to the quick. Medics kept busy tending to their patients whether they needed it or not.

Time seemed to stand still. Silence had overtaken them but for the base commander announcing which pilots had been lost and what the status of the Death Star was. It wouldn't be long now.

The wide-eyed farmboy from Tatooine, Luke Skywalker, was the last Red Squadron pilot remaining in the trench. His wingmen, Red 2 and Red 3, were both out of commission. He was alone now. Not even his droid could help him.

"The lead TIE has a lock on Skywalker- no, wait...the lead fighter's wingman just went up." The commander's voice took on an excited tone. "A light freighter just came in out of nowhere. He's covering Skywalker!"

Excited and yet confused chatter broke the former silence as everyone was asking each other who this mystery pilot was.

Jyn flinched. "What the...?"

"Solo?" guessed Cassian with pleasant surprise.

"It couldn't be," protested Jyn with an incredulous shake of her head. "That smuggler left the system."

"But he was the only one near enough-"

Another announcement rang out across the base. "The lead TIE is out of commission now. His last wingman crashed into the trench, and the lead ricocheted off the side. Skywalker's firing...let's hope those torpedoes hit their target. All right, they're getting clear...any minute now..."

Tension increased to a fever pitch. Jyn felt her stomach twist with anticipation.

The lights overhead flickered, making everyone momentarily uneasy. What was that?

"Objective complete," gushed the base commander with a sigh of relief. "Target destroyed."

A series of deafening cheers broke out all across the base. Those in the medical bay cheered, wept, or embraced out of sheer relief. Those who were mobile jumped up and down or raised triumphant fists.

As for Jyn Erso, she could hardly believe it. All those days of fighting, of hoping, losing hope and finding it again...it hardly seemed real that the nightmare was finally over. She turned to Cassian with wide eyes. Releasing his hand with an apologetic look, she made for the door. "Hold on. I'll be back."

"Jyn!" called Cassian, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He tried to rise and follow, but a medic prevented him. "Where are you going?"

"I need to see it!" she called over her shoulder. Once out of the medical bay she broke into a run. So many times, she had thought the Death Star was impenetrable. While there was no reason to doubt now, she still could not find it in her heart to believe what she couldn't see.

Jyn ran faster as the halls opened into the hangar. She passed Bodhi, who was celebrating with everyone else, but didn't yet acknowledge him. She ran all the way to the giant doors and out into the humid air of the jungle to search the sky.

What had been a blinding flash of white was fading back into the orange of twilight. In the center was an explosion so brilliant that few could look at it for the first minute. Bright pieces of debris rained down and burned harmlessly in the atmosphere.

The shock of seeing the truth made Jyn's knees wobble. At long last her father's wishes had been fulfilled. The planet-killer was gone. Jyn closed her eyes against the coming tears and clutched the kyber crystal again. "We did it, Papa. It's gone." When she opened them she found both Bodhi and Cassian hurrying up to her, following her gaze.

"Thank you, Galen," murmured Bodhi with a distant smile.

Cassian slung an arm around Jyn's shoulders. "What did I tell you? Never give up hope. Never."

Jyn let out a heavy breath and exchanged smiles of relief with her comrades. The trio remained outside for quite some time, and were there to see the two X-wings, single Y-wing, and the battered YT-1300 model freighter come in for a landing. Jyn felt a jolt of surprise upon seeing the latter. "That's not Solo, is it? He left!"

Cassian was grinning as he shrugged. "Looks like he came back. Come on. Let's go inside."


	4. Bursting Stars

The trumpets had faded. The fanfare was over. Everyone else had left the Grand Audience chamber of the Massassi temple hours ago to celebrate the destruction of the Death Star and heap praise upon the young pilot who had made the killing shot. After a ceremony in which Luke Skywalker and Han Solo had received medals of bravery, there were congratulatory back slaps, handshakes, and words of wonder and awe. Very few, short of one or two jealous pilots, had anything bad to say about the farmboy-turned-hero. Now everyone had gone outside to watch fireworks.

Only Jyn remained inside. She sat alone on the steps of the dais, pensive and tired in the darkness. The only light came from the small moon rising outside. A single pair of boots on the cold flagstone didn't earn even a glance.

"Jyn?" It was Bodhi, somewhat sheepish as he poked his head into the massive room. "Is that you?"

Jyn lifted her head and nodded. "It's me, Bodhi."

Bodhi edged inside, confused. "What are you doing alone? Are you all right?"

Jyn shrugged. "Just tired." That was true enough. Now that the excitement was starting to die down, all she wanted to do was sleep. She felt like she could sleep for a month.

"Are you coming? Everyone's outside."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I just don't want to, all right?" Jyn's voice wavered unexpectedly, and she turned away. "Go on, Bodhi. You go ahead."

Bodhi hung back sadly for a moment, unsure of what to say, before turning to go with a nod. "I'll save a spot for you, if you change your mind. Get some rest."

Jyn didn't answer as the pilot ducked back out of the doors. It was probably going to raise some eyebrows that the daughter of the Death Star's designer wasn't participating in celebrations of its destruction, but at the moment Jyn didn't care.

She was glad that the Death Star was gone. She felt no remorse for the Imperials that had been destroyed along with it. She knew that, to make the killing shot, one had to be incredibly lucky, and to fly alone down that trench with three TIEs in pursuit was incredibly brave. She had no hard feelings against the young farmboy who had been caught up in a whirlwind.

But the only thought running through Jyn's head was a deep hope that her father's part in all this wouldn't be forgotten. Certainly Skywalker had pulled the trigger, but one couldn't shoot without a target. Galen Erso had provided that.

Jyn took little notice of the tears rolling down her cheeks until further bootsteps echoed into the chamber. "You wanted to see the fireworks, Bodhi? Then go on."

"They're not starting for another ten minutes," said a voice that was most definitely not Bodhi's. Cassian's pace was slow and steady as he walked in, his face unreadable in the darkness.

Jyn looked at the young captain with something of a frown as she wiped her eyes. "What are you doing out of the Med bay?"

Cassian shrugged. "Everyone's outside to watch the fireworks. Besides, it's just active combat I'm restricted from." He came up next to her. "Bodhi told me you weren't coming down."

Jyn looked sideways at him. "Aren't you?"

Again he shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I just don't feel like it."

Jyn turned away. "I know what you mean." She rested her chin on her knees. "I'm glad that the Death Star is gone...well, maybe not glad, but...relieved. It just doesn't feel right to be throwing a party without even mentioning everyone that made this possible."

Cassian nodded. He felt much the same.

"They never brought up Rogue One, did you notice that?" Jyn frowned. "Not one word was said about Chirrut, or Baze, or-"

"Or your father?" Cassian lifted his brows with interest. When Jyn hunched her shoulders he sat next to her on the steps and continued. "I'm going to ask you a question, Jyn, and I hope it doesn't make you angry. Is that the real reason you're up here? You want your father to have the credit instead of Skywalker?"

"That's not what I want at all," sighed Jyn. "All right. Maybe I'm a bit jealous of all the attention turned to this kid. To be fair, I know he made the critical shot...and without a targeting computer, which was supposed to be impossible. But it's a shot _no one_ could have made without the flaw that my father put into it."

Cassian grunted softly in agreement. No one could make a kill without knowing where the vital organs were. "The Princess knows that. So does the General."

Jyn crossed her arms impatiently. "Then why didn't they bring it up during the ceremony...or some time?"

The captain could only shrug. "Maybe they didn't want to cast a pall over the mood. Maybe the leaders of the Rebellion feel that we need celebration instead of mourning right now."

Jyn felt the tears returning to her eyes. "I suppose I'm the only one who feels the opposite."

At that Cassian put a hand on her shoulder until she looked at him. "You're not the only one. Everything you've said, I completely agree with. They shouldn't ignore the contributions of those that made this possible...and I'm not talking about us. I'm talking about those that made the ultimate sacrifice. Like Chirrut...and Baze...even K-2SO," he added with a forced laugh.

There was a deep sadness behind his voice that Jyn had never noticed before. Her tone was soft as she spoke again. "He was your friend, wasn't he?"

Cassian shrugged. "The only friend I had for five years. I know he was just a droid...and he wasn't exactly pleasant to be around. But if droids could have a heart, then his was in the right place." He cleared his throat of unaccustomed emotion and turned away.

Jyn reached over and took Cassian's hand, giving it a squeeze. "I'm sorry."

Distant fanfare from outside made both of them lift their heads to look. Princess Leia's voice came over the loudspeaker to make an announcement.

"Friends, this fireworks display is not only in celebration of Luke Skywalker's heroic deed in destroying the Death Star-"

Wild cheers and applause broke out. Skywalker, meanwhile, was nowhere in sight.

Leia lifted her hand for silence so she could continue. "...but, in memory of those who paid the ultimate price for the freedom of the galaxy. There are too many names to mention now...there will be memorials for them later...but one I wanted to draw attention to is a man named Galen Erso."

At the name of her father Jyn rose, turned around, and peered down through the large slotted windows.

"While he was the designer of the Death Star, he was the one to build the flaw into its system to allow its ultimate destruction. Even he knew his mistake in joining the Empire and did his part to correct it. I ask you not to remember him as an Imperial, but as a hero. And so, to his memory, and to the memory of all others who lost their lives by the Death Star, we dedicate this display."

Heartfelt applause rippled through the crowd as Jyn's eyes clouded with yet more tears and she sank back down into a seated position. They streamed freely down her cheeks as the fireworks were launched and burst in brilliant shades of blue, violet, crimson, and gold.

Cassian sat beside her with a wet-eyed smile. "Nobody will forget him now." And he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Jyn glanced at him, smiled, and returned the side embrace, resting her head on his shoulder as the stars above and the stars below illuminated their faces.


End file.
